


Of Wands and Wishes

by sparrowlina



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, sparrowlina
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-28 01:42:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16231616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparrowlina/pseuds/sparrowlina
Summary: She's running. She has a secret. And she happens to run into Fred Weasley on her adventure.Will this encounter help or hurt her? There was only one way to find out...





	1. Forget My Name

He fell hard to the floor, his orientation spinning as the light from the torches that were mounted on the walls drenched his view. His body was aching and screaming from the torture. He couldn't remember how many times he had been struck. He couldn't remember how many times he had been hit with the Cruciatus Curse.

Would he make it through the night? He didn't know.

"Where is it?" the wizard hissed at him, hovering over the man's body like a lion over prey.

Ollivander refused to answer. He remained on the cold, hard, stone floor.

"Tell me where the Elder Wand is!"

A swift kick to his rib cage forced out a cry, and to his dismay he was being dragged up swiftly by his white hair. A cold hand eventually made it to the old man's face to pull his gaze from the floor.

He grimaced as he was forced to make eye contact with the one wizard he had hoped to never see again after selling the boy a wand at his shop.

Upon further inspection, Voldemort knew that Ollivander would not yield. He was as stubborn as he was gifted in wand lore.

"Tell me where it is, or I'll have to go looking for someone else who'll be more cooperative."

"There is no one else who knows."

Voldemort's mouth twisted into a bone chilling smile. Ollivander could see the yellowing decay in Voldemort's grin as the dark wizard chuckled to himself. His eyes were piercing and the slits in his face where his nose should have been was flaring with excitement.

"Oh really?" He dropped Ollivander to the ground. "We'll see about that." His tone was dark and tempted. He sounded much too eager to accept Ollivander's challenge.

Holding his head where he had landed, Ollivander could hear the footsteps of the group that had entered start to file out. Peter Pettigrew, the gatekeeper of the dungeon, was the last to leave. He could hear the snickers from Pettigrew as the dungeon door clanged shut.

He remained there on the cold, hard ground not knowing what future lay ahead for him and the wizarding world.

There was only so much he could do to protect the Elder Wand.

And there was only so much he could do to protect her.

+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+

Diagon Alley was a shadow of its former self. Shops were hollowed out, windows were broken, and signs hung for dear life from their hinges as they rocked back and forth in the wind. The alley was so desolate and dark, not even the folk from Knockturn Alley would hang about it. Students who used to populate it with their laughter and joy were nowhere to be found.

Nowhere except for Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

It was the only shop that remained open at such a dark time in the wizarding world. Fred and George Weasley had done a fantastic job of letting their love for pranks and laughter spark life in those who came in for a visit. They had all sorts of merchandise, from love potions to Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, from tiny little Pygmy Puffs to towers of Skiving Snack Boxes that were ready to help any student get out of school classes when they needed it.

The shop was a breath of fresh air for everyone who was suffering through the challenges they were now facing.

"Step right up! Fancy a look at these new products!" George called out as he stood on the second floor with the many customers that flooded the shop.

"There's something for everyone! We have samples of all sorts!" Fred shouted as he walked around the first floor, handing out random assorted bags to people as they pushed past him.

A few elves were on the floor acting as cashiers and maintaining the stock on the floor as the crowd flowed into the shop. The twins had heard it from Hermione Granger, their brother's friend, at one point when she found out who they had employed. They emphasized that the elves could come and go as they pleased and didn't have to wait on their every whim.

Although sometimes it would have been nice…

Fred stood near the front door of the shop admiring the patrons that surrounded him when he felt something hit the back of his leg. He turned and looked to the floor, seeing the shop's mail bundled up with a piece of string after being dropped off by an owl. He reached down and collected the pile, quickly undoing the string and flipping through the envelopes.

"Junk, junk, junk, junk," he muttered as he skimmed the senders of each message. He had nearly shoved the lot into a pocket inside of his coat when he came across a letter that seemed out of place.

George had walked down to him by now, his gaze following his brother's as Fred stared at the envelope.

"Something interesting come for you, mate?" he asked.

"No, it's not for either of us actually."

"Who's it for?"

"Ollivander's."

Fred looked at his brother in confusion, the same emotion mirrored on George's face. Looking around the shop, he motioned towards Ollivander's further down the alley. "I'll just leave this in his shop."  
"Why? What good'll it do? I don't think he's going to come back any time soon."

Fred shrugged. "What are we gonna do with it otherwise?"

George shook his head at his brother as he returned his focus to the customers that surrounded them, a smile returning to his face as he struck up conversation.

Fred pushed his way out of the shop, greeted by the eerie silence that fell over the alley. The only thing he could hear aside from the loud noises that came from their shop was the rustling of dead leaves and old papers on the ground, tumbling and rolling through the empty alley.

He pulled his coat a little tighter around him as he made his way to Ollivander's shop.

It was a pity to see one of the places he had the fondest memories in shambles. If it was possible, the dark wood that made up the outside of the shop looked darker. It was as if the shop had died once its owner had left. He could still see wand boxes that had made their way to the street. Most of the wands had been taken once people realized that no one was there to protect the inventory.

He could still remember the day he and George got their wands. It had been a near nightmare for Ollivander to get it right. With every wand they waved more and more things were destroyed or displaced. His mother had gone red with embarrassment to see how much of the shop had been ruined.

But Ollivander had been determined. He never gave up on finding their perfect wands — or maybe the wands had given in and decided to settle on being matched with the twins. He and George still had debates about it.

He walked over to the building and paused for a moment. The glass on the ground crunched under his weight as he sighed deeply. It was a shock the day that he and George had found out that Ollivander had been kidnapped. Their own shop hadn't quite opened, and Ollivander had been so kind as to give them pointers about the alley and the best ways to keep things interesting for their customers. They had come to work on things and people in the alley were in a panic. The frames of Ollivanders' shop windows were still singed from the explosion by the time they got there. Feathers had been caught adrift in the wind and blew throughout the alley.

Shaking the memory from his mind, he walked closer, the letter still in his hand. As Fred stepped into the doorway, he found himself looking upon an unusual sight.

Someone was standing in front of the desk.

Fred's eyes roamed around elsewhere in the shop to see if the person had any companions, but it appeared that they were there on their own.

He watched as the person's head rotated around. Judging by the small frame and short stature of the person before him, he assumed that this was a girl. She wore a dark cloak that covered her from head to toe. The hood was brought over her head so that he couldn't get a good glimpse at any of her features.

After a few moments of silence, he stated, "It's a shame, isn't it?"

He could see the figure nod, still looking around the room. She was unphased by his presence. He wondered why she was here; what amount of sentiment did this girl have for this shop that made her want to stop by?

Fred watched as the girl walked towards a shelf that was sitting against the wall opposite from him, her back still to the doorway.

"Ollivander's been gone for at least eight or nine months now," he informed. He wasn't really sure if this girl wanted an update, but he hated the dead air between them. "Death eaters made a bloody mess when they took him."

She reached a hand out to the shelf and ran her fingers along it. She could feel the dust collecting the further along she pulled them.

Fred was unsure of what to do, seeing that his conversation with this person was getting him nowhere. "Well, I'm only here to drop off this letter. Not sure who it's for or why anyone would send it here…"

"Who is it for?" the girl asked.

Fred's head shot up at the sound of his previously silent partner's voice. It was smooth and sweet, almost as if someone put a sound to the way rich chocolate tastes. He had heard it before, but he couldn't recall where.

Clearing his throat, he continued, "Uhm — for a Charlotte?" He squinted down at the handwriting that had been muddled out with the occasional raindrops and dirt from the owl's travels. "Yeah, Charlotte Hewitt."

The girl straightened up, turning her head so that Fred could see only the tip of her nose from beneath the hood. "The letter is for me."

He paused, unsure of the situation unfolding. What were the odds that he would find someone in Ollivander's after it had been closed all this time, let alone the person who this random letter he and his brother had received was addressed to?

Fred took a few steps towards the girl, he himself standing in front of the desk. "I don't believe you."

The girl walked to him quickly as debris crunched under her feet. She went to snatch the letter from Fred's hand, but he was already holding it above his head. The girl tried to reach up as much as she could, nearly climbing Fred as if he was a tree. He towered over her.

He caught glimpses of his mystery companion as she fought him off. Streaks of the girl's auburn hair were slipping out past the hood the more she reached for the letter. Her small, pink lips were in a determined line across her face. Hazel eyes pierced into Fred's brown ones every so often.

"You're not Charlotte Hewitt," he let out slowly, raising an eyebrow at the girl before him.

"Yes, I am," the girl confirmed through gritted teeth. She had settled back on the ground and pulled the hood around her tightly once more. "Now give me that letter or I'll hex you."

Fred laughed at the thought. "I don't think you'll do that. You're much too short. But seriously, you're not Charlotte," he chuckled, still keeping the letter out of reach of the small girl. "You're Victoria."

At the mention of the name, the girl froze.

Fred could see her eyes widening. Was it out of fear? Surprise?

"I knew it! You're Tori Olliv—"

Immediately, Fred felt his body being slammed against the wall that was on the same side as the door. Tori's small hand clamped itself over his mouth as he watched her eyes dart past either side of him, looking outside towards the alley to see if anyone had been there to overhear his near-reveal of her true identity. He could feel the sharp sensation of a wand being pressed to his rib cage.

After making sure they weren't being listened to, she harshly whispered, "If you care even an inkling about my life, you'll give me that letter and forget the name you were about to utter."

Fred, with one hand raised in defeat, slowly handed the letter to Tori with the other.

She quickly grabbed it away from him and took a few steps back. She shoved the envelope into her robes and disapparated, leaving Fred in shock and wonder as to what had just occurred.


	2. Chapter 2: A Message

_Tori,_

_I wish you hadn't just disappeared like this. I wish you were home._

_I'm hoping this letter finds you in good health and out of trouble. A lot of people are worried. Even writing this letter now, I don't know if you'll answer._

_My mum is probably the most worried about you. She's been asking nearly every day if I've heard from you._

_Write me when you can, just so I know you're alright._

_I miss you terribly._

_Ren_

Tori folded up the letter and placed it back into the envelope she had received from the Weasley boy. Letting out a sigh, she leaned back against the cool stone wall behind her and closed her eyes.

The bar scene around her was rolling on as if nothing odd was happening in the world. She had been stopping there every so often as she moved around and avoided death eaters. The barmaids were kind to her and gave her free butterbeers when they got to talk with her long enough. She guessed it was because it wasn't very often that another woman stopped by the bar. The men always cast her wanting looks, but after one had tried to make a move and she jinxed him, they all knew better than to attempt anything further.

"Long day, Hewey?" one of the barmaids asked, wiping off a table next to where Tori was sitting.

"Indeed," she muttered back as her hands gripped the letter a little tighter and she stared off into space.

"You know you should really stop by tha' shop down Diagon Alley. Weasleys' somethin' or otha'," the woman suggested. "Might get yer spirits up."

"I'll check it out one of these days, Mary." Tori shot a smirk of thanks as she took another swig from the beer next to her.

She found Mary's suggestion ironic considering where she had just come from.

Tori remembered the Weasley twins fondly from school. They were in the same year, although not the same house. She was a Ravenclaw and took that title to heart. When she had the following of being Garrick Ollivander's granddaughter, she had immense shoes to fill and much to learn if she was going to take over the shop one day.

Charms had been her favorite subject. In fact, that was the reason she had a friendship with Fred and George in the first place. It always happened to be that one of the twins would partner with her in class for some lesson or another. They switched off so often she'd get their names mixed up. After a while, it was easier to just collectively call them 'Gred' and 'Forge' whenever she came to class. She even called them that when she ran into them on school grounds.

Part of her felt bad for the way she had treated Fred back at the shop. It wasn't his fault that he had stumbled upon her by accident. But at the same time, it was a good thing.

…wasn't it?

Without him she wouldn't have received her letter from Ren. On top of that, she may have found someone else that could help to keep her secret.

A friend.

Tori tossed a few galleons on the table for Mary to find once she cleaned up Tori's glass and slipped out of the bar without much notice from anyone. Pulling her cloak closer to her, she walked silently through Knockturn Alley.

She had learned that in a place like this, it was best to keep your head down and only interact with someone when you wanted to. "Shake off anyone else that wants your attention," one of the barmaids had told her. Most people were greedy and vile in this place. Some wanted to cheat you of your riches and some wanted to simply make as much trouble as they could.

The first few weeks were rough. A new face in the alley meant a lot of inquiring minds and a lot of attempts to get under her skin. Tori's bar reputation started to follow her, so some people had started to lay off.

Maybe she had been accepted as one of their own. But even that left a sour taste in her mouth.

After walking a ways down the alley, she turned a corner sharply and ducked into an alley behind an old building. The front held various shops that sold knick knacks that Tori had learned better than to ask about. The owner was an old man that always had better things to do than fuss over Tori and had shooed her out a few times on sight.

As she approached the end of the alley, she faced the building. The building looked normal aside from one brick that was sticking out a little more than the others. At a passing glance, one would never notice it. One day when Tori was hiding out from some Snatchers, she had leaned on the wall as she tried to collect her thoughts. She immediately fell through, stumbling upon a dark room that seemed to be tucked away from the rest of the building.

When she first walked in, she had wondered if it had been a safe place for someone else at the time, or at any time prior. To her left was a small fireplace with floo powder sitting in a container on the mantle. In front of her was a small desk that faced the door that had a small lamp sitting on it. Parchment was scattered in pieces on it, as if whoever was here had to quickly leave and just grabbed what they could. An inkwell was knocked over and had soaked the quill thoroughly in blue ink. Curtains were hung to cover the windows overhead, but they were tattered and dirty. As she walked down a small hallway to her right, she could see a small curtain drawn up to cover a bed. A small bathroom with the necessities were located in a room across from the bed.

It wasn't much, but it would suffice. Her first week she waited in anticipation to see if anyone was going to come back to that place. When no one did, she immediately put up whatever spells she could think of to protect herself and called this new hideout "home".

She stumbled into her living space and walked towards her bed, tossing her cloak onto it. Immediately the noise of shattered glass came from it and Tori cringed. When she first started her journey, she had bewitched her cloak with an extension charm so that she could carry all of the thing she needed with ease. Glass items may not have been the smartest things to put on that list.

Tori had been on the run for months. In all honesty, if it hadn't been for Fred putting a time stamp on her disappearance, she really wouldn't have known how long she had been gone for.

When her grandfather had gone missing and Snatchers had started to mention the Ollivander name in nearby towns, Tori had known what her grandfather had been taken for. The Elder Wand was a prize that many wizards and witches had vied for, but her grandfather had always confirmed it be a myth. Tori could see past her grandfather's twinkling old eyes that he knew of the wand, and she was sure that at one time or another he had been fortunate enough to handle it.

It was her dream to take over the shop one day from him. She was obsessed with wand lore and the stories he'd share with her when she was a child. She wanted to learn how the cores and woods worked together, how to tell what a wand was made of by feel, and how "the wand chooses the wizard!" There was almost never a time during holidays where she wasn't at the shop dusting or organizing the tools, inventory, or materials that her grandfather had hidden away in Diagon Alley.

She was fortunate to have spent so much time in his shop. It was almost like a gold mine of knowledge and magic — a new lesson to be had every time she went. During lulls in customer visits, her grandfather would tell her great stories of the different witches and wizards that had come through. She knew all about Harry's first visit and had even heard about the twins' disastrous attempts at finding their first wands. He told tales of famous wizards, like the Minister for Magic and the Dumbledore family, and he would always gush at how excited the younger magic folk would be knowing one day, they too would be able to finally practice proper magic with their new companion.

+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+

Later that night, Tori sat on her bed eating her dinner. Her plate had a piece of chicken and a few vegetables with some potatoes that had been smashed by a spoon. She had made a kind of makeshift kitchen near the fireplace and got by on what she could find that was edible in Knockturn Alley. Some days she'd adventure to nearby towns to get more ingredients, but with shops closing each day it was getting harder to find food.

She was rereading Ren's letter for what must have been the 20th time. What was she supposed to find? Some secret message telling her how to get out of this mess? Part of her felt frustrated because she desperately wanted to do just as Ren said: come home and be with people who cared about her. But it was much too dangerous. Things were different now. Nothing was going to be simple anymore.

Tossing the letter on the side, Tori couldn't help but feel as if something wasn't right in her tiny home. She looked up slowly and scanned her living space with narrowed eyes. The only light source she had left on was the lamp near her bed which casted many eerie shadows around her. A chill ran down her spine and her heart started to pound a little harder.

She reached for her wand and whispered, " _Homenum revelio_ ," pointing in the direction of the front door.

Nothing happened, thankfully, but she couldn't shake this feeling deep down in her gut.

Setting down her plate on a side table, Tori stood up and walked towards the fireplace. Her wand was at the ready, not knowing what she was going to run into.

Her footsteps creaked with every step and her heartbeat was echoing in her ears. She had started to sweat. Her hands were trembling against her will.

As she stood in the darkness of the main area, she had forgotten to breathe. It was the first time since she had come to this place that she felt so scared — so helpless. Her eyes searched frantically in the dark for some movement or some misplaced feature. Her bed and the lamplight seemed so far away.

"I know you're here," she declared to the darkness. "Show yourself."

She was greeted by silence, the grip on her wand so tight she knew the grooves would leave a mark on her hand.

Tori turned to face the doorway and suddenly her heart leapt into her throat. Where she had hung her coat after showering she could see a faint glow from behind it. It certainly wasn't from anything she had stowed away in her pocket.

Walking towards it, she pointed her wand to the light. It seemed to get brighter with each step she took, her breaths getting shallower as fear started to grow in her chest like a balloon that was threatening to explode.

When her wand made contact with the coat to move it out of the way, the light leapt out at her. Tori panicked and fell backwards. She scrambled on her hands and feet to move away, cursing herself for losing her wand in her scare. 

" _Accio wand!_ " Tori shouted as she held her hand out towards the darkness. The wand immediately flew into her hand in time for her to send a spell towards the light that was creeping towards her. To her dismay, it was unphased. Something shattered behind the figure as Tori's spell missed. Her eyes widened slowly as fear started to wash over her features.

The light moved towards her little by little. It stalked her, as if making any sudden movements would cause Tori to disappear.

She was pushing herself backwards until she hit the back wall. She was breathing quickly, wand still held out in front of her.

In a few moments, the light started to take a form. It shrank down in front of her and to her surprise, she found a fox.

It stared her down, unwavering in its stance. Her heart was racing at a million miles a minute. She was too afraid to move. What was this—this thing?

"Number 93, Diagon Alley."

Turning her head slightly to one side, her face scrunched together. Did this fox just speak to her?

"Number 93, Diagon Alley," the fox repeated. As the words emanated from it, its light glowed a little brighter. Its mouth didn't move, as the sound seemed to be coming just from whatever power was giving the fox its form.

"Wha-what-what about it?" she asked timidly.

The fox didn't answer, but again repeated the address before disappearing into thin air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello loves!
> 
> Feel free to leave me a comment! They keep me motivated and I enjoy interacting with you all!
> 
> With Love,  
> sparrowlina


	3. Chapter 3: Uncertainties

She looked at her watch.

11:24 p.m.

Did she dare adventure blindly to the address she got from the fox? Was it even a fox that visited her? What if someone was trying to lure her into a trap?

Tori had been sitting on the floor near her bed for hours, her mind ferociously battling itself. She couldn't tell whether the risks or benefits were winning. Her curiosity was a major factor, though.

What if Ren was trying to get in touch with her? The timing would have been perfect. The incoming letter and then a strange appearance from this fox. But the way Ren made it sound in his letter didn't make it seem like he was traveling. Knowing his mother, she wouldn't want him to leave the house at a time like this. She was always the overprotective one, especially after his father had died.

Tori reached up on the side table to read through the letter once again, but quickly rolled her eyes at herself. This wasn't one of those muggle spy movies that Ren's sister adored so much. No message was hidden between the lines of what had already been written. There wasn't going to be a sign that obvious.

Reading through Ren's words again, Tori could feel a tightening in her chest. Thinking of Ren and his family only made her miss home even more.

_"Tori! Ren! Come inside for dinner!"_

_Ren chased Tori inside his house for the millionth time that winter. They were bundled up tight, snow falling from their coats as they shook themselves off in the doorway._

_"It looks like you two have been running all over this place," Ren's mother commented, seeing how rosy Tori's cheeks were and how out of breath her son was._

_"When someone's being hit with snowballs all day, running becomes part of the plan," Tori explained, shooting a look at Ren._

_"I think all your time in the dormitories just made you slow," Ren teased. "You're a first year. You can't possibly have that much homework to do."_

_"On the contrary," Tori explained, moving inside and helping Ren's mother set the table, "I'm taking extra time in my studies."_

_"As any good Ravenclaw would," Ren's mother agreed, shooting a wink at Tori._

_She beamed happily as she remembered that Ren's mother had also been in Ravenclaw._

_"Whatever. Studying is boring. I'd much rather play Quidditch."_

_"And that's why you're always asking me for help in class. You're too busy day dreaming."_

_Ren stuck his tongue out at Tori as they sat down with his sister and mother for dinner._

_"As long as you have each other and look out for one another, I think you'll be fine."_

_Ren and Tori shared a look with each other before nodding in agreement, smiles glued to their faces as they shared more about their time at Hogwarts with his mum._

Tori stared blankly at the letter in her hands as she recalled the memory. Ren's mother had been almost like her own mother, which her grandfather had been very grateful for. She had needed a woman figure in her life after everything that had happened…

A chill ran through her as Tori shook herself out of the memory. She was caught even more by surprise when she noticed the fox from earlier had reappeared, tucked under her arm and looking over the letter she was holding.

"Oi!" she shouted, scrambling backwards away from the fox. She dropped the letter in her attempt to flee, the fox immediately snatching it up in its mouth. "That's not yours to take," she growled at it. She stood up slowly with her wand drawn. For a moment, she was hit with a panic. Even with her wand, she still didn't know how to fight this thing.

The fox tilted its head to one side in curiosity at the witch before it. Without skipping a beat, it quickly sprinted towards the entrance and disappeared out of sight, taking the letter with it.

She looked towards the exit desperately. Cursing herself for dropping the letter, Tori went to kill the light in the lamp and jogged towards the door where she flung on her coat. Now she had no choice but to follow the fox and see what it wanted or where it would lead her.

She kept her hood close to her face as she started to roam through Knockturn Alley. She had to keep looking around for the fox, which was jumping in and out of buildings as if this was some kind of game. It had the letter held tight, Tori wondering how it could maneuver with a solid object through walls. People walking past her shot her an odd look whenever her gaze would quickly change direction with the fox. She wondered if they couldn't see it, which she figured would only add to her reputation. Why not add the characteristic of being crazy along side all of the others?

Soon she found herself back in Diagon Alley with no sign of the fox anywhere. The alley was even more cold and unwelcoming when Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes was closed which made Tori pull her cloak tighter to her small frame.

"Where'd you go?" she called out softly, hoping the fox would reappear.

Immediately the fox walked out from between her legs, looking up at her to instruct her to follow.

Tori looked around the alley once more, as if expecting someone to pop out from the shadows, then slowly started following the fox.

It jogged a ways ahead of her, then dropped the letter on the ground. Its gaze travelled back to her as if to say she wasn't walking fast enough.

"You've got to be joking," she sighed, looking up at the shop the fox had dropped the letter in front of.

The fox shared in her view for a moment, then disappeared into thin air.

Tori was left with so many questions as she picked up the letter and quickly stuffed it into her pocket.

This had to be a ploy from Fred. He was the only one to know she was around.

For a moment, nothing happened. She was just standing in front of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes like an idiot waiting for something to occur.

As the air grew colder, Tori decided that she had wasted her time and started to walk away from the shop.

Suddenly, she froze. Her heart dropped when she heard the front door of the shop creak open.

Closing her eyes, she fought with herself again. This was all too scary and her gut was screaming for her to just get out of there as fast as she could. Turning slowly towards the door, she could see the fox looking at her from inside.

"You're going to get me in trouble," she muttered to it, hesitantly accepting the invitation and walking into the shop.

A few steps in, Tori shrieked in surprise when the door closed and locked itself behind her. She quickly pulled out her wand and held it out defensively. "H-h-hello?" she called out to the dark room.

No one answered, but the fox reappeared on the stairs leading up to the twins' loft. Tori swallowed hard. She couldn’t shake this feeling in her gut, but brought herself to climb each stair nonetheless. Her weight caused them to creak and complain, but surprisingly no one was coming out to see who had entered or why someone was coming up to the living quarters above the shop.

As she reached the top, she could see a warm living space before her. A tan couch faced the fireplace that was across from the stairs and an entryway to the left led into what looked to be a small kitchen. The right hand entrance led to a hall way where Tori could see light emanating from the end.

"Hello?" she called out again, slowly making her way further into the area.

The quietness that had greeted her was soon shattered like a glass pane. An explosion rang throughout the loft and Tori immediately ducked down to the ground to shield herself. She had covered her head with her arms as best she could, her mind racing like a thoroughbred in a championship race.

What if it had been all a trap? What if the twins were injured and it was her fault?

She glanced up from where she was on the floor and saw that nothing had really changed in the loft aside from some smoke that was floating from down the side hallway.

Swallowing hard, Tori gathered herself and stood up. Her wand was clutched tightly in her right hand and she immediately sprinted towards the source of the smoke. Her mind flashed with images of the twins hurt or killed, their faces etched with fear instead of laughter.

There was a room at the far end of the hallway. Its door was cracked open slightly which allowed the smoke to creep out of it. Tori had reached the door very quickly, to her surprise, and had kicked it open with her wand pointed at the people within. She didn't care who or what she had to face — she wasn't going to let the twins get hurt because of her.

On the other side, she found the men of the hour standing in front of a work table. They were high fiving each other with delight, looking down at the mess they had made. At the sound of the door suddenly opening, Fred turned to face Tori. His face was covered in black soot, goggles gracing his face, and his hair was slightly on end. George matched him almost identically.

"Brilliant! She's arrived!" Fred exclaimed triumphantly as he removed the goggles. There was a dark ring around his eyes that matched the outline of the goggles perfectly.

"What in the bloody hell is going on?" she questioned, wand still pointed at the twins.

"You might want to put that away before you hurt someone," George directed, wiping his hands with a nearby rag.

One flick of her wand and the twins found themselves with their own kitchen knives to their throats. They both froze in shock, not knowing what kind of fire had been lit inside of the sweet girl they knew from school.

Fred cast a glance over to Tori and saw that her hazel eyes had grown dark, scarred by the past few months of whatever she had gone through.

"Easy now," he said softly, holding his hands up on either side of him. "We just want to talk."

"How did you _find_ me?" she demanded, her voice no louder than a whisper which somehow made her sound more threatening than if she had shouted.

Fred noted the wildness about Tori. Her hair was slightly disheveled. Her eyes were redder that he had seen earlier that day, and they were darting around in a bout of paranoia.

"I slipped one of our products on you today at Ollivander's — they're trackable if they're not purchased."

Her nose twitched slightly at the fact that something so simple minded had gone undetected.

"And the fox?"

"A patronus," George explained, "intended to bring you here."

"Why did you need to see me?"

Fred and George exchanged glances. "We wanted to help," they answered in unison.

Still unsure, she straightened up slightly. "Help? Help with what? How can I trust you?"

"To answer those questions in order — help with whatever it is that you're doing and…well…you can't I suppose," Fred admitted. The steel of the knife pressed further against his neck at his admission.

"That's true," George added, "especially considering how many times we made your charms backfire during class."

"I'm curious, though, can you actually tell us apart now?" One Fred's eyebrows began to rise quizzically, a small smirk forming on his lips.

"Or are we still 'Gred' and 'Forge'?"

The twins flashed their famous smiles to Tori, hoping to ease the tensions that they could feel latched onto her like vice grips.

With a deep breath, Tori hesitantly dropped her wand. With it, the knives both fell to the floor.

The twins shared a look with one another, as if speaking telepathically, then made their way towards the door. They both walked around Tori towards the dining room, but George hung back for a moment when she didn't follow. He nudged her arm slightly and she turned slowly towards him. He motioned towards the exit with his head and a reassuring smile.

Tori nodded as she reluctantly followed. She knew what was coming, and she knew the questions wouldn't be easy to answer.


	4. Chapter 4: Will You Stay?

Tori followed George nervously back into the living area. From the kitchen, the sound of mugs clinking in the kitchen were a familiar chorus to her ears. It reminded her of Ren's mother puttering around before dinner -- her children and Tori all sitting around the dinner table waiting in anticipation of their meal.

George had tossed himself into a nearby seat and exhaled after a long day's work. He let out a large groan and shut his eyes momentarily as he and Tori waited for his brother to rejoin them.

She glanced around and took more of an inventory of the space that she was standing in. Just like in her own "home", a pot of floo powder sat on the mantle of the fireplace next to various photographs. There were several little knick knacks that joined the photos. Some were first attempts at Weasley products, others were small trinkets that probably held great stories.

Many faces smiled up at her as Tori walked closer to the photos. She recognized some of the people in the photos, remembering the other Weasleys from her time in school. Ginny in particular had been such a sweetheart. Sometimes she'd tutor Ginny if Hermione wasn't around to help her.

Further down the mantle Tori spotted a picture of the twins on what looked to be their opening day of the shop. There were many other people in the photo as Fred and George stood proudly behind the ribbon that blocked the front entrance. Standing in their three-piece suits and grins plastered on their faces, Tori thought that this was definitely the best fit for them in terms of their careers. They were once again surrounded by their family as their photo-selves waved to the crowd. 

"One of the greatest days of our lives."

Tori looked up in slight surprise to see Fred standing next to her. She hadn't even heard him walk over. His gaze was fixed on the photo as his mouth curved into a small, but appreciative, smile.

"I dunno what we would have done if we didn't open this shop," he stated as he offered Tori an orange mug, "but I'm glad everything worked out for the better."

She looked at the cup with a small nod and smirk of thanks.

Fred smirked back at her as he turned and put the other mug in his hand on the coffee table in front of George. He then disappeared back into the kitchen to grab his own.

Tori held the mug and allowed her eyes to scan the room again. It was homey here. She appreciated the comfort and happiness that this place exuded. It matched the twins well. Although, there was a part of Tori that felt as if there was a looming cloud over her head. After everything she had struggled through, this safe feeling that was starting to grow inside her felt foreign and unwelcome. Part of her still felt like she needed to keep an eye out over herself -- to keep watching over her shoulder in case something happened.

George sat up and took a sip of his tea as Fred reentered the room and sat on the couch that was opposite of the fireplace. "So…"

Tori tensely glanced from twin to twin.

"So…" Fred echoed.

"So…" George repeated.

"So…"

"You two are absolutely ridiculous," Tori interjected as she leaned her shoulder against the mantle, trying to collect herself.

"Well then interject whenever you so please with something more entertaining," George invited, sipping his tea once more.

Tori rolled her eyes as she stared into the brew she was holding in her hands.

Fred watched her carefully. He could sense her sadness, fear, and worry. After his encounter with her at Ollivander's, he had gone back to his shop and told George what had happened. Immediately they knew they had to help, especially during this dark time.

"You know," Fred started, leaning forward towards Tori, "if you don't want to tell us anything -- if you don't want any help -- you're free to go."

She paused momentarily. It was a large load to have to put onto Fred and George's shoulders. It was supposed to be for her and her only. No one else should have to deal with her family's struggles and pains. She had managed to do it all by herself up until now. Why did she suddenly feel the need to seek comfort in these two people she hadn't spoken to since they left Hogwarts.

"I…" Hesitating again, she placed her mug on the mantle and shoved her hands in her pockets. She averted eye contact with either twin as she took a deep breath. "I really do want your help…" It was almost a whisper that left her lips. "…but this isn't going to be a fun tale."

"Well we weren't expecting a Babbity Rabbity to make a feature," George joked.

A small giggle passed through her lips as she looked up briefly. The expression that was on her face made it seem like that noise was a completely new one to her after not hearing it for so long.

"We're all ears, Love," Fred encouraged.

Tori's eyes locked with Fred's at the sound of her old nickname.

She couldn't remember when it had happened, but Fred had called her that during school for the sole reason that when he did it, her cheeks would turn a violent shade of pink. She remembered Ren never liked it and would get extremely jealous whenever Fred would come around. Even more so after Fred learned that, he kept saying it. At first, it had been when everyone was around. Then it happened when it was just George. Eventually, on certain nights when Tori would be helping him with Charms homework, he'd say it to her. She had always thought that when it was just them, there was more to the nickname than he'd let on. Nothing had ever been said about it, but she had always wondered…

She sighed and played with her wand that she had stashed away in her cloak. "I don't know what happened exactly. I had heard through some neighbors that Grandad had been kidnapped. At the time I was staying with Ren and his family. You remember Ren from school, right? Ren Taylor?"

The twins both nodded.

"Right…well, as soon as I heard the news, I left. Never left a note or really said any final goodbyes. I couldn't put Ren and his family in danger because of who I was."

"How did you know you'd be in danger?" Fred asked softly.

Tori's brows furrowed. "Whatever the Dark Lord wants with my Grandad, I'm sure my Grandad won't easily give in to. I'm the last Ollivander. They'd use me against him if they ever got me. And they'd most likely kill whoever would hide me.

"So I traveled wherever I could. I wanted to help Grandad but had no idea where to start. I've just been hitting dead ends everywhere I go. No one seems to know where he might be or what they're doing to him. And once the Snatchers got involved…it just got really messy. I can't remember how many times I nearly got caught or how many times I had been apparating from place to place just to lose them. The first time I had been back at the shop was yesterday…" Tori walked slowly around the coffee table sat herself down on the couch next to Fred, her head hanging slightly. "I've practically been living the last eight months always looking over my shoulder thinking that they're gonna get me. I almost didn't come here because of that."

Fred and George looked at one another, telepathically communicating as all twins do, before bringing their attention back to Tori.

"It's terrible that all of this is happening, Tori," Fred started.

"Really, it is," George added.

"And, as your friends, we want to help you as much as we can --"

"-- so why don't you stay with us for a while?"

Tori looked at the twins as if they had each sprouted a second head. "Are you both mad? If they find me here, do you know what they'll do to the shop? What they'll do to you?"

"And if we didn't know, would we have made the offer?" George asked quietly, his eyes pleading for Tori to calm down and consider their offer.

She shook her head. "It's too dangerous. The last thing I want is for you two to get hurt."

"And we don't want to see you get hurt either, Tori," Fred announced, rather sternly for George's taste. "This is a time where we have to stick together, not force help away."

Tori was slightly taken aback by Fred's tone. She had never heard him so forceful towards anyone in her life. She supposed, though, that he had good reason to bring this side of him out now. Deep down, she could feel that he was the little voice of reason that she should be listening to. What choice did she have, anyway? She could only stay in her little hiding place in Diagon Alley for so long before she'd leave again. When else would she be able to find somewhere that she could really call safe? Maybe even a new place to call "home"?

George set his mug down. "How about this: you can work for us in exchange for staying here if you really feel bad. You can disguise yourself as you wish, or we can do it for you. Mind you if we disguise you, I can't promise that you'll like what we might turn you into."

Fred rolled his eyes with a smirk as his brother chuckled.

Tori cracked a small smile at George.

He stood up and grabbed Tori's mug from the mantle and brought it back to her. Tori had forgotten that it was even there, so she was grateful for his gesture. Sipping the tea in her hands, she could feel the hot liquid warm her insides and relax her slightly. She looked briefly from twin to twin and noted the eagerness in their expressions. Even in all their years of going to school together, she had to admit that they had been helpful to her on more than one occasion. After being picked on so many times by Slytherins and the twins coming in to rescue her, this situation just felt like old times.

"So what'll it be, Princess?" George asked.

Tori looked from Fred to George, her eyes lingering in Fred's a moment longer.

"We're here for you, Love, whether you like it or not," he reminded.

Taking a deep breath, Tori bit her lip as her mind raced in a million different directions. She kept thinking about what would happen if she didn’t stay or what would happen if she did stay. The former was definitely the scarier option.

"I'll think about it." She set her cup down on the table and stood up quickly. "Thank you for the tea, Fred." She started for the staircase.

Fred and George exchanged confused glances before hearing Tori's quick footsteps down the wooden stairs.

"Oi! Where are you off to?" Fred called out, both him and his brother racing to and now leaning over the rail to watch Tori leave.

"Home," she replied. "I'll have an answer for you by dawn."

Faster than they could say, "Babbity Rabbit," Tori was gone.


	5. Chapter 5: It's Complicated

George dragged himself out of bed slowly. He tried to rub the sleep from his eyes, but if he had to be honest with himself he hadn't gotten much sleep the night prior. No matter what he tried to do, whether it was count sheep or pace back and forth to waste away his extra energy, the impending decision that was coming from Tori that morning was tugging at his mind.

After she had left the night prior, he and Fred were at a near loss at her sudden exit. Neither one knew just how to handle her story or her reaction to their helpful offer. Was it really helpful? That was the big question that had been bouncing around in George's head like a rubber ball. They were sort of just inserting themselves into her life without really thinking about what her reaction would be. He thought that maybe they'd assumed that she'd be happy for the help and would just go along with it. Did they understand the risks? Of course. But Tori made it seem like she was a poison needle that they were playing with -- one prick would be the end of it.

The door swung open quickly which caused George to sit up just as suddenly. His brother stood with the same tired expression he imagined his own face was holding.

"What if our offer is a mistake?" Fred asked groggily. His hair was wild from his rest, or lack thereof, and his matching pajama top and bottom were disheveled.

"Good morning to you too," George smartly replied as he stood and stretched his arms over his head. He pushed past his brother and walked towards the kitchen where the welcoming scent of coffee was awaiting him.

It didn't take long for Fred to catch up. "I'm serious, George."

"Really? Could've sworn you were 'Fred' just last night."

Fred shot his brother a stern look as he grabbed a mug for himself.

Taking the silent treatment as a sign of Fred's concern, George sipped his brew as he leaned against the kitchen counter. "Look, it's not a mistake. Did he want to help her? Yes. Does she have to accept the offer? No. We made that perfectly clear last night." Part of his speech almost seemed to George as if he was trying to convince not only his brother, but himself at the same time.

"You saw how quick she bolted out of here. What if we're getting too in over our heads?" Fred stared into space as he held his mug in his hands to warm them.

George smirked into his mug as he took a sip. "We left school early to open up a joke shop and only now you think we're too in over our heads?"

Fred's stern expression broke slightly as he smirked and took a deep breath.

"Tori's smart. She's gotten us out of a few jams ourselves when we were in school. We kinda owe it to her to at help give her a fighting chance, right? She did the same for us."

His mind immediately took him back to when he and George were in school. It was a memory so clear that he could draw it out to anyone who asked. The first time Tori had helped them in a situation outside of Charms was when the toad-woman Umbridge had started her detentions with students. Fred vowed he was going to steal and destroy that quill when he had the chance, but he just never found an opportunity.

The twins had been walking back to the dorm, blood dripping from their hands as they plotted against Umbridge. They turned a corner and crashed into Tori. She had a bewildered look on her face since, one, she wasn't supposed to be out after curfew and , two, she had run into the twins. When she saw their hands, their excuses couldn’t cover up what had happened. She had a way about her that always managed to make the twins fess up the truth. It was like they could never, ever lie to her when it came to serious things.

_"Hold out your hands,"_ she had instructed, and they did so with no hesitation. Quickly pulling out her wand, she uttered a spell that Fred had never heard before. For some reason, he had always liked when Tori would cast spells. There was something in her voice that would change when she'd speak her incantations. It depended on what she was doing, and at that moment it was smooth and caring. Just her tone alone could have healed the trauma that Fred had endured. In a few seconds, it felt like it had. Their hands were left with only a few small scars.

They had thanked her profusely and all she had said was, _"It's no problem. We have to help each other during times like this."_

And it wasn't the last time that she'd helped them.

The two had stood in silence for quite sometime until a knock came at the shop door.

"Merlin, don't people have any idea what time it is?" George muttered to himself as he walked to where the loft could overlook the store. He could see a girl standing outside in a dark cloak peeking through the glass of the shop door to see if anyone was around. "Fred!" he shouted as he started down the stairs.

"Wha?" Fred called back, a piece of toast hanging from his mouth. The absence of his brother heightened his attention and he immediately raced down the stairs after him.

They wasted no time and George flew the door open to greet the girl.

But they were confused.

Just as they were about to greet them, they took a good look at their visitor. A girl stood before them, but she had strawberry blonde hair. Freckles danced across the bridge of her nose and her eyes were a piercing blue.

"Oh -- uhm -- err…sorry to startle you, ma'am," Fred finally stated. "We were expecting someone else."

"George --"

"--and Fred Weasley at your service."

The girl giggled as she stepped past the two of them and looked around the shop. "So what do you need me to do?" Her voice was sweet and soft, almost reminding them of Luna Lovegood's. It was whimsical and light.

The boys looked at one another, nearly wanting to pinch themselves as if this was an odd dream.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Is there some way we can help you?" Fred asked.

The girl paused to look at the boys again and a large smile started to run across her face. Soon, she couldn't contain her giggles. She had to hold on to a nearby shelf just to contain herself.

"You know, Freddie, I'm usually one for jokes. I don't quite see what's so funny here."

"Beats me, Georgie."

As the girl collected herself and wiped a tear from her eye, she stood tall and pulled out her wand. Placing it to her throat, she continued, "I must be really convincing."

The mystery girl's voice had changed tone and a rich voice that Fred and George could pick out anywhere widened their eyes.

"Tori?" George asked as he looked her up and down. "Is that really you?"

"In the flesh! Well…maybe it doesn't look like it, but it is me." She turned around in front of them, showing off her changes. "It's sort of my…disguise I suppose."

"Bloody hell — you've done a great job. I don't think I could have spotted you if you hadn't said anything," Fred gushed. He walked closer to her and inspected the details of her face more closely, making Tori's cheeks turn rosey. "There is one giveaway, though."

Panicked, Tori checked her outfit and ran to a mirror to look over her facial features again. "What? What is it? I changed my jawline, my nose, my height, my hair color —"

"Tori, Tori, Tori," George tutted, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Your eyes."

"My eyes? What about them? They're not hazel anymore — they're blue!"

"Ahh, but what you seem to lack in the memory department is that time that we, Georgie and myself, had fed all of the girls in Ravenclaw those Valentine's chocolates during fifth year."

Tori rolled her eyes immediately. How could she forget? "Oh, those awful chocolates that you two gave away."

The twins stood proudly on either side of her as they all looked at one another in the mirror.

"It was the perfect prank."

"We got all of the girls that year in Ravenclaw. So many different colors in their hair, their noses, their hands, their cheeks…"

"All except you," Fred remembered, nudging Tori.

She shook her head with a smirk. "I was too smart to eat them. But then you peer pressured me."

"Yeah, seeing your eyes change through so many different colors was crazy!" George raved

"We've never managed to make it happen again."

"Well thank goodness for that," Tori huffed. "After they stayed gold I was absolutely beside myself."

George chuckled. "And then when we turned them back to hazel, there was that one fleck we couldn't get out."

"Your right eye was especially stubborn," Fred reminisced. 

"So that's my giveaway then, is it?" she asked them.

"Suppose it is." George ruffled his hair as he continued, "So if anyone comes around here claiming to be you—"

"—we'll know exactly what to look for." Fred nudged Tori with his shoulder and winked at her before walking towards the stairs leading up to the loft.

"Brilliant," Tori chuckled under her breath.

George looked briefly around her and noticed no travel bags with Tori's belongings. "Did you need to go back later for anything?"

She shook her head. "All of the essentials are right in here." She tapped her cloak gingerly where her pocket had been sewn in. "Extension Charm."

"I've seriously never thought about putting one of those on clothes," George reveled. "I could hide so much more pranking ammo in my jumpers…"

"I was going to say something about it saving my life a few times, but pranking is good too," Tori teased as she walked past George to follow Fred upstairs.

+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+

The end of the day didn't come soon enough. Tori found herself collapsing on the couch in the loft, tapping her head with her wand so that she'd return to her regular self.

"Was it all too much for you, Tor?" Fred asked as he leaned over the couch to look down at their guest.

"I thought running from Snatchers was hard. How do you two even keep up?"

"We hire people and elves and don't really do much," George called from the kitchen.

Tori chuckled as she sat up and stretched her arms over her head. "It's fun, but it's mighty exhausting."

Fred nodded as he took off his suit jacket, tossed it on the chair next to Tori, and sat on the couch as well. "It's worth it though." He turned to her. "Are you okay with being near that amount of people though? Nothings stopping any Snatchers from coming in…"

The thought had crossed her mind multiple times throughout the day. She helped a few gentlemen look for products for their sons. A few children had dragged her around the store begging her to show them every little item and knick knack. A group of kids too young to attend school were asking questions about what was allowed in school. Tori had probably interacted with more people in the past day than she had in the whole time she had been on the run.

"I should be okay," she answered, but with less confidence than Fred was looking for.

"If it's too much trouble, we can have you work in the back or something. You can ship orders or tend to inventory…"

She placed a hand on Fred's as his knee bounced up and down in nervousness. "Thank you, Fred, but I'm fine." Tori tried to give her most convincing smile to the twin next to her. It seemed to have worked for the time being. Fred had simply nodded and leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes and letting out a deep breath.

"And dinner is served," George announced, bringing out a tray of food and setting it on the table.

"Sandwiches?" Tori asked.

"Weasley Twin Specialty," George proudly explained as he took up residence on the chair that Fred tossed his jacket on. "And luckily for you, this is all we know how to make."

Tori chuckled. "I guess I'll have to help in the kitchen then if we'd like to eat anything otherwise?"

"Or we can order something. Or visit Mum," Fred chimed in, sitting up and reaching for the topmost sandwich of the pile.

The trio ate in silence, the length of the day settling in and taking over. It had been an unusually busy day at the shop. With the school year nearly in full swing, they had hoped that people would already be stocked up for the new year. With the number of parents in the store today, it seemed that it wasn’t quite the case.

"So, Tori," Fred began as he wiped his mouth with a napkin, "have you been keeping in touch with anyone since you finished school?"

She shook her head. "Just Ren. That's actually who the letter was from."

"You two were practically inseparable," George noted, grabbing another sandwich and taking a large bite out of it. "Are you two a thing?"

She paused briefly, her chest tightening and her heart pounding as if the protective cage within her was too small to contain it.

_The sun kissed her skin as she stood at the edge of the lake in a cami and shorts. She and Ren were there, as the usually were, to clear their heads and talk to each other._

_"So what are you gonna do now that we're all graduated?" Ren asked her, slowly collecting a pile of smooth skipping rocks._

_She shrugged. "Take over the family business of course."_

_He chuckled. "Well, I for one am very shocked at your decision."_

_She shoved him playfully, a broad smile still on her face. "None of your sassiness, young man."_

_"Apologies, my lady." He shot her a smile that melted her from the inside. He was always her confidant, her rock to lean on, and her ear when she needed to vent about anything and everything. This summer was going to be the shortest one yet, even if she was spending every day with him and his family._

_She stood with her hands on her hips. "Grandad was telling me that he's arranged for me to study wand lore with one of his former students. Somewhere far, he says. But the experience will be the best I can get. He says there's only so much I can learn sitting in the shop and listening to him all the time. I told him that's a lie, though. I've learned so much from him already."_

_Ren nodded. "And how far is 'far', exactly?" he asked._

_Tori gazed over the water, bent down to grab a stone, and sent and sent it skimming across the top of it. "Pretty far, I suppose? Grandad hasn't exactly told me where yet. He's being very secretive about it."_

_Ren chuckled weakly. "Well, you know your grandfather — he is the best so I guess he's only trying to get you the best he can."_

_"I guess so…it'll be weird going off by myself." Tori stood and held her next throwing stone in her hand. She felt its smooth texture and admired how perfect it really was — molded by the many years of being eroded and formed by the lake's water._

_Ren walked closer and stood almost right behind her. Hesitantly, he placed a hand on her shoulder. He gave it a quick squeeze._

_Tori turned to him and could see distress written all over his face as he looked at her. "What's wrong?" she asked._

_He gave a weak attempt at a smirk. After a few silent beats, he replied, "Nothing. Just gonna miss you, that's all."_

_She returned his weak smile and quickly captured him in an embrace, feeling his arms close slowly around her. Tori looked up at Ren and tried to read into his piercing green eyes hidden behind his brown hair to find what he was hiding. "Are you sure that's all?"_

_Ren laughed for the first time since they reached the lake. "Merlin, you're just getting right to the point today, aren't you?"_

_"When do I not?" Tori replied with a chuckle._

_He sighed deeply and brought one of his hands up to Tori's face, brushing her hair out of the way to that he could take in every freckle and wrinkle he could find._

_Their close proximity made her heart race, unsure of what was happening between them. The longer he looked her over, the more self-conscious she became. What was he looking for, she wondered? What answers could he find written in her features?_

_"So…?" she asked, feeling her cheeks getting hotter by the second._

_"I…I dunno," Ren finally let out. "I'm just worried about you."_

_"I'll be fine," Tori reassured, letting Ren out of her grasp and then skidding her rock across the lake. "I'll be fine," she whispered to herself again._

_Somehow the second one didn't sound as convinced._

_The next day, she found out her grandfather had been taken by Death Eaters._

_And she disappeared from Ren's life without a trace._

After a few more beats of silence, George recovered, "Is it just complicated?"

Tori shifted uncomfortably as she realized she had zoned out for a moment. "Things between Ren and I…I'm not sure. I guess there was something there? We just never really got around to talking about what we were feeling. During the school year we'd be busy within our own houses and with studies, during the summers we were taking care of his family and mine. Practically growing up together also makes it hard to put those feelings out there…" 

"That and he was in Slytherin so maybe that kind of relationship during school wouldn't have been so fondly reacted to," Fred noted.

Tori shot him a cold stare. "Not every Slytherin is born evil, you know. They're placed there for other reasons too -- Ren was very cunning and quick on his feet."

Fred's head hung a little lower in shame both at his remark and the tone that Tori took. His experiences with Slytherins weren't the best, and he was surprised at Tori's stance considering her experiences with all of the other Slytherins aside from Ren were pure rubbish.

"Have you thought about writing back to him?" he asked, trying to shift the mood of the conversation.

She shook her head. "It's too risky. Either I'd be found or they'd question Ren."

The rest of the dinner was eaten in silence. For the progress the twins had made in learning more about Tori today, they felt more cut off than ever. Tori had a lot of baggage, and that didn't refer to all of the things she had stored in her cloak pocket. It would take time for her to trust them completely. And it would take a lot of effort on both ends to make that happen.

George cleaned up the leftovers from dinner. Fred stood up and nudged Tori's shoulder.

She was staring off into space, thinking about her grandfather, Ren, and his family. "Hm?"

"I'll show you to your room."

"Fred, you folks didn't have to make a room for--"

He rolled his eyes with a smirk, shaking his head as he motioned for her to follow him. He led her down the same hallway that she had sprinted down the previous night. They passed two doors that were right across from one another, Tori assuming these were the twins' rooms.

"Bathroom is right across from you," Fred mentioned, gesturing to a door on his left. He then opened the door to his right. It was the one right next to the door she had burst through in a panic.

It was a small room, nothing to boast about. Immediately to the right of the door was a chest of drawers that came up to around Tori's waist, a mirror attached to it. A closet was nestled into the next wall and a window showed her a view of the alley directly across from her. The bed was parallel to the door, already made up and ready for her to sleep in.

She couldn't think the last time she had slept in a real bed.

Immediately she dove on top of it, grabbing one of the pillows and clutching it to her chest. She could smell the scent of a woman's perfume and noted that the blankets had been knitted.

"You like it?" Fred asked, leaning against the door frame and chuckling at Tori's behavior.

She sat up and faced the door, pillow still in hand and legs dangling off the side of the bed. "It's wonderful. I can't…I can't thank you and George enough for your help." She ran her hand along the blankets. "Would it be a silly question to ask if you two made these?"

"Are you mad?" he asked, walking over and taking a seat next to her. "Our mother's handiwork. She gave them to us when we moved into the loft. They remind me of home. I think they still smell like Mum's perfume."

Tori nodded as she took a deep breath and looked around the room once more.

"You'll be safe here."

Tori's eyes rested on Fred whose gaze seemed so much softer than earlier. She returned it with a small smile, one that was still hinted with doubt.

After a few moments of the two of them staring at one another, Fred cleared his throat and stood up. "Well, if you need anything, I'm next door and George is next to the bathroom. If you hear any explosions or smell any odd odors, we are probably working on new products so there's no need for any alarm."

"Duly noted," Tori acknowledged as Fred made his way to her door.

He started to close it, but turned back for a moment. "Good night, Tori."

"Good night, Fred."

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this story! I'll try to update as consistently as I can, but school is a thing :/ I have a few chapters ready to go, though!
> 
> Thank you for the support!
> 
> With Love,  
> sparrowlina


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